Malta Gaming Authority
Established in 2001, the license by the Malta Gaming Authority is one of the most reputable and widely used gaming licenses globally. The Gaming Control Board of Malta controls almost all forms of gambling when it comes to its territory. We are talking about both land-based (amusement & slots, casino, betting offices, fantasy sports, lotteries) and online gambling services such as B2B & B2C. Being the first EU country to regulate online gambling in 2004, it is no wonder that such a large number of online casinos are employing this license (more than 100 gambling operators). In addition, since April 2019, the MGA has mandated policies that obligate their licenses to work with an approved ADR service (Alternative Dispute Resolution). This makes it easy for players to submit their complaints either to the regulator or a different service of the player’s choosing. Note that, unlike UKGC‘s ADR, MGA makes provision for operators to work multiple ADRs.
Malta Gaming Authority · Jurisdiction
The Malta Gaming Authority provides services all across the territory of Europe and nothing beyond that. The usual waiting time in order to obtain the license is somewhere between 12 and 16 weeks. This is slightly longer than Curacao, but nothing significant. This license covers all of the following gaming activities:
- Casino
- Sports Betting
- eSports
- Poker
- Lotto
- Bingo
- Bitcoin Casino
- Fantasy Sports
- Game of Skill
In addition, the Malta Gaming Authority issues the following licenses:
- Gaming Service license: business-to-consumer license to provide or carry out a gaming service; (B2C)
- Critical Gaming Supply license: business-to-business license to offer or carry out a critical gaming supply. (B2B)
The Malta Gaming Authority is very strict when it comes to following its regulations, guidelines, and legislation. This makes MGA the governing body with one of the most difficult licenses to obtain. The pricing depends on the license. The B2C Gaming Service license is €25,000. With the exception of controlled skill games which have obligatory and fixed €10,000 annual fees. The license for B2B Critical Gaming Supply varies from €25,000 to €35,000. The application request is €5000, the same price as the application renewal. A 5% tax applies to Gaming Revenue from players based in Malta. Furthermore, 35% tax is applied to all profits generated by remote gaming operators.
